Club-separating insert for golf bags



Nov. 1, 1955 s. SMIDT ETAL CLUB-SEPARATING INSERT FOR GOLF BAGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1953 Nov. 1, 1955 s. SMIDT ETAL CLUB-SEPARATING INSERT FOR GOLF BAGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1953 United States Patent'Ofiice 2,722,258 Fatented Nov. 1, 1955 CLUB-SEPARATING INSERT FOR GOLF BAGS Samuel Smidt and Henry Smidt, Peabody, Mass.

Application May 18, 1953, Serial No. 355,582

7 Claims. (Cl. 150-15) This invention relates to club-separating inserts for golf bags, and pertains more particularly to partitioned units, removably insertable within conventional golf bags and adapted to provide individual receptacles or pockets for each shaft of a set of golf clubs.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a plurality of partitioned units which may be removably and interchangeably connected together in a variety of selected combinations, to provide different assemblies for accommodating sets of golf clubs of varying number; and which, when assembled, may be fitted within golf bags of varying contour, to provide elongate pockets receiving the respective shafts of the clubs in the set. The individual clubs are thus separated from each other in a predetermined pattern for easy and rapid selection; the shafts and grips are prevented from contact abrasion while in the bag; and the golfer can take a quick inventory and know immediately whether any club is missing from the set merely by glancing at the arrangement of the club heads or shafts projecting from the tops of the pockets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series of such interchangeable, partitioned units, designed and constructed to be interconnected in parallel relation by removable separator strips, and, when so interconnected, to be supported adjacent the top of the golf bag by an encircling strap, or the like, attached to the bag.

A further object is to provide longitudinally tapered separator strips for separably connecting the units of the assembly in relatively inclined longitudinal relation, whereby a wedge-shaped assembly may be fitted within a golf bag having an interior compartment for holding other golfing equipment or supplies.

Recommended embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that the structural details of the devices herein illustrated and described may be varied without departing from the essence of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a golf bag equipped with a selected arrangement of the improved partitioned units interconnected as a wedge shaped assembly and extending a substantial distance into the bag, the bag having an interior storage compartment;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a golf bag equipped with an assembly of the units interconnected in parallel relation and extending nearly to the bottom of the bag;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the assembly of units interconnected as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the tapered separator strips used in removably connecting the assembly of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the partitioned units shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the separator strips used in removably connecting the assembly of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 comprises a series of diagrammatic plan views illustrating some of the optional arrangements of the partitioned units, in golf bags of varying cross-sectional contour, according to the number of clubs in the set to be carried by the golfer.

.In the particular embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustration, the partitioned units and separators are made of relatively rigid plastic material, but other suitable materials may be utilized. The assemblies of Figs. 1 to 3 comprise two units, 11 and 12, each partitioned into five elongate, club receiving pockets 13, and a four pocket unit 14. The transverse partitions 15 of each unit are spaced uniformly and preferably extend through? out the length of the unit, providing uniformly sized pockets or tubes into which the club shafts are placed as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the size and number of pockets in the respective units may be varied as desired, within practical limits, and that it is desirable to provide units of at least two different widths, as herein shown, so that selected units may be arranged in various combinations affording the number of pockets needed to accommodate a particular set of clubs, as indicated in Fig.

the units may be varied, provided the depth is sufiicient to separate the club shafts projecting below the bottom of the assembly when supported near the top of the bag as hereafter explained. The thickness or transverse dimension of each unit is preferably the same, irrespective of its width or length.

' The sides of each unit are symmetrical, and each side wall is preferably formed with a pair of undercut keyway grooves or channels 16 extending downwardly from the top of the unit for a substantial distance, and preferably to the bottom of the unit, as shown. These grooves are disposed in uniformly spaced, parallel relation on opposite sides of each unit. Hence, any group of selected units may be interconnected in spaced, substantially parallel relation by the separator strips or rails 17 or 17', each having opposite flanged tenons 18 slidably receivable in complemental grooves or keyways 16 of the adjacent units.

In the assembly of Figs. 1 and 3, the separator strips 17 are tapered so that the one tenon inclines downwardly toward the other (Fig. 4). Adjacent interconnected units are thus spaced from each other at the top of the assembly (Fig. 3), but are drawn toward each other at the bottom thereof, so that the assembly is wedge-shaped. In this form, the depth of the assembly is approximately one quarter the depth of the golf bag 19 shown in Fig. 1, and the grips of the inserted clubs are inclined toward one side of the bag to avoid interference with an interior storage compartment 20 defined by a fabric wall 21 and accessible through a slit in the opposite side of the bag, the slit being normally closed by a conventional slide fastener 22.

In the assembly of Fig. 2, the separator strips 17 (Fig. 6) are of uniform width throughout their length, so that the interconnected units are held in spaced parallel relation from top to bottom. In this form, the assembly preferably extends downwardly to the bottom of the golf bag 23.

In both illustrated embodiments the assembly of units separably interconnected by the slidable tenon strips 17 or 17 is suspended adjacent the top of the golf bag by means of a strap 24 which encircles the upper end of the assembly and engages in slots or recesses 25 formed in the side walls of the units, and preferably traversing the grooves 16, as shown in Fig. 5. In order that the units may be reversible endwise and sidewise, as well as interchangeable in different assemblies, the slots 25 are formed in both sides and adjacent'both ends of each unit, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5.

The supporting strap 24 passes through loops 26 attached to the inside of the golf bag and may be clasped tightly around the assembly by fastening a buckle 27 or the like. Many golf bags are conventionally equipped with such straps, so that loose shafts of a set of clubs may be encircled or separated from others. It will be understood, however, that other means 'may be employed to suspend or support the assembly of partitioned units within the bag.

As previously indicated, the insert units 11, 12 and 14 (or similar units having a greater or smaller number of pockets or tubes) may be arranged and interconnected by the separator strips in various selective combinations. EX- amples of these are graphically illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein a shows an assembly for a 14 club set in a keystone shaped bag, 11 an assembly for 9 clubs in a half round bag, c an assembly of '13 clubs in an oval bag, and d an assembly of 8 clubs in a round or practice bag. Hence, by supplying to dealers a quantity of individual units of different sizes, and a quantity of separator strips, the golfer may select an assembly suitable for his club requirements; and the purchaser may use one or more of the units on different occasions.

We claim:

1. A club-separating insert for golf bags comprising an assembly of partitioned units each having a row of elongate pockets for receiving the shafts of golf clubs, and separator strips interconnecting the units in spaced relation.

2. A club-separating insert as described in claim 1, including; grooves in the opposed sides of adjacent units for slidably receiving portions of said separator strips.

3. A club-separating insert for golf bags, comprising an assembly of partitioned units each having a row of elongate pockets for receiving the shafts of a plurality of golf clubs, and separator strips for separably interconnecting the units in spaced relation, each unit having opposite side walls respectively provided with at least one keyway groove extending downwardly from the top thereof, and the separator strips having opposite flanged tenons slidably received in complemental grooves of adjacent units.

4. A club-separating insert as described in claim 3, each of said side walls also having a slot extending substantially at right angles to the groove therein, whereby the inserted assembly may be supported near the top of the golf bag by engaging a strap in the slots of the outermost side walls of the assembly.

5. A club-separating insert as described in claim 3, each of said side walls having a pair of keyway grooves disposed in spaced parallel relation, the distance between the grooves of each pair being uniform on both sides of all units, whereby the units are interchangeable and reversible in the assembly.

6. A club-separating insert as described in claim 3, each of said side walls having a pair of keyway grooves disposed in spaced parallel relation, the distance between the grooves of each pair being uniform on both sides of all units, whereby the units are interchangeable and reversible in the assembly, and each of said sidewalls having a pair of slots traversing the respective grooves adjacent the opposite ends of the respective units, whereby an assembly of a selected combinationof units may be supported near the top of the golf bag by a strap engaged in the slots of the outermost sides of the assembly.

7. A club-separating insert as described in claim 3, said separator strip being of substantial length and tapered lengthwise so that the flanged tenons thereof incline toward each other, whereby units interconnected by such strips provide a wedge-shaped assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 13,408 Sine 5. Apr. 23, 1912 722,249 Pixley Mar. 10, 1903 901,176 Jose et al. Oct. 13, 1908 1,043,348 ORourke Nov. 5, 1912 1,585,032 Hess May 18, 1926 1,951,492 Schneider Mar. 20, 1934 2,166,018 Palmer July 11, 1939 2,225,612 Allen Dec. 24, 1940 2,546,416 Alter et al Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,991 Great Britain Oct. 21, 1915 

